by Elizabeth Musser Recently, the Lord whispered encouragement (and conviction) to me through a verse from the third chapter of the Gospel of John. We all know that chapter and that verse. But actually it’s not the one to which I’m referring. As I read the scene after Jesus with Nicodemus, so many things jumped out at me. First, the …
What to Do with a Negative Review
By Liz Curtis Higgs I’ve never been voted off the island, named the weakest link, or told what not to wear, but as a novelist I’ve weathered my share of criticism—constructive, destructive, and otherwise. A sharply-worded email from a disgruntled reader makes me question my calling. A scathing review on Amazon sends me back to my w-i-p with a heavy …
First Chapters Syndrome
By Rondi Bauer Olson Last year my nebulous-but-fantastic-sounding goal was to “write every day.” I did a pretty good job. Five or six days a week I opened my laptop and typed a few hundred to a few thousand words. After twelve months, my word count was pretty impressive. Unfortunately, my useful output wasn’t. The first project I started working …
Combating the Doldrums
By Linda Brooks Davis Ever find your enthusiasm for a writing project flagging? I have. Have you figured out what to do about it? I pull out this photo of Ella, my granddaughter. And remember. My daughter called me in the fall of 2004 with news that rocked our family. After years of failure and disappointment, she was pregnant with …
Sending your Submission to an Agent
by Tamela Hancock Murray Submitting your work to an agent can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. A few simple steps will help you gain confidence, regardless of your method. Unsolicited submission This is when you are querying several agents and you have no connection other than perhaps seeing their names on a list. I don’t recommend the …
Take the Stage
By Shirley E. Gould I’ve heard it said that “Life is what happens when you have other plans.” I totally agree. Interruptions and distractions plague the writer’s life. When you mix in events such as weddings, birthdays and anniversaries and blend those with holiday celebrations, the opportunities to write a novel dwindles. This is true no matter where you find …
A Matter of Emphasis
by Christa Kinde When I joined the ACFW, I figured I’d encounter people with similar gifts, interests, and goals. Hey, it’s all there in the name–American Christian Fiction Writers. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to wonder where to put the emphasis. Was this a group for writers of Christian fiction? Many of our stories …
SMART Goals for Writers
By Preslaysa Williams I always get excited about a new year. I have a chance to start fresh and do something new. I’ve set goals, met goals, and left others unmet. Every new year, my goal setting skills have improved. Some may ask: Why set a goal if you won’t meet it? Here are a few benefits of setting goals: …
Encouraging One Another
by Kathy Harris I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day …
How Brainstorming and Eating Pizza with Friends can Lead to a Book!
By Rose Allen McCauley Did you know the Twelve Days of Christmas start on December 25 and end on January 6th on Epiphany–the day the wise men first saw the Christ Child? To most people it means figuring out something, and to writers it can mean: an illuminating discovery, realization, or… a revealing scene or moment. Three of my Kentucky …